Annual York U. Davies Memorial Lecture and Scholarship
TORONTO, September 26, 2003 -- A rising tide of anti-democratic behaviour and new fears of violence and war are battering democracy’s global "triumph" of a decade ago, says John Keane, founder and director of the Centre for the Study of Democracy in London, U.K.
An internationally acclaimed scholar and media commentator, Keane will deliver the annual Ioan Davies Memorial Lecture, Whatever Happened to Democracy? Reflections on a Dying Ideal, at York University, Thursday, Oct. 2, at 4 p.m., Senate Chamber. Prof. Keane’s lecture will be delivered from a futuristic perspective, examining the long-term impact of factors he has identified as contributing to the current global decline in democracy. Among these are reduced voter turnout, waning enthusiasm for politicians and cynicism regarding the political process.
Currently Professor of Politics at the University of Westminster, Keane is known for re-introducing the Enlightenment notion of "civil society" into contemporary social theory. He has emphasized the role of civil society groups in maintaining cultures of democracy under reactionary governments, and their importance in a globalized world and in the creation of new forms of governance.
Keane is author of numerous books, including the prize-winning Tom Paine: A Political Life (1995). His work has been translated into many languages and he is a regular contributor to the The Times Literary Supplement. His lecture at York University will inaugurate the Ioan Davies Memorial Scholarship to be awarded annually at York to a graduate student in Communication and Culture.
The Ioan Davies Memorial Lecture series brings prominent international thinkers to York University each year to present their views on culture, democracy and society in changing global contexts. The lecture series and annual graduate scholarship in Communication and Culture are named for the late Ioan Davies. Professor Davies was a dedicated teacher and eloquent writer who inspired students through his work with thinkers and artists from numerous countries experiencing cultural conflict and change. He was a professor of sociology and social and political thought and co-founder of the joint graduate program in Communication and Culture at York University and Ryerson.
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For further information, please contact:
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Nancy White |
David Fuller |
YU/100/03
